Making your own 2x2 prioritization matrix is easy. Create your own 2x2 prioritization matrix Ideally, a 2x2 prioritization matrix helps your team create boundaries around what is realistic to tackle, and develop clarity and consensus around what’s most important for success, versus nice-to-have or unnecessary. New markets worth pursuing and prioritizingĭepartments, functions, or capabilities worth building or expanding on next Teams can also use the matrix to make business decisions such as:

Virality (influence or “stickiness” of the product or service) Revenue (the profitability of a product or feature) Whether you’re a product manager or leading a new business initiative, it’s worth considering how each idea informs each of these elements:Īctivation (when customers understand the value of the product or feature) This framework can help you decide the least amount of features you need to launch a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), or prioritize tasks for an upcoming Agile sprint. When to use the 2x2 prioritization matrixĪgile development teams can use the 2x2 prioritization matrix to decide which features, fixes, and upgrades to work on next. The effort parameter considers resources (like time, money, people) that may be needed to finish the tasks outlined. The value parameter considers the business value of your product feature or idea. Maybes or “do if or when there’s time”: Low-value tasks that can be returned to later on. Time sinks, aka “don’t do it”: Product features or tasks that aren’t worth investing in right now. Quick wins, or “do it now”: Product features or tasks that are valuable and easy to implement. A 2x2 prioritization matrix typically has 4 segments representing varying levels of effort and value:īig bets, aka “do it next”: Product features or tasks that are valuable but difficult to implement.

This model is a priority matrix that can help product managers determine priorities, and is also suitable for anyone leading projects and initiatives who needs help deciding what their team should focus on. Keep reading to learn more about the 2x2 prioritization matrix. If you need a matrix that accommodates different phases or iterations, and granularity of effort versus value (from high to low), you may be looking for a 3x3 prioritization method. The method is a quick, efficient way for your team to focus on features most likely to be valuable to your customers versus effort actually taken to deliver those features.Īny team applying lean start-up methodologies can also use this matrix to make decisions and figure out where to focus their efforts in relation to where the risk is, or where the most valuable opportunities are. The 2x2 prioritization matrix, or lean prioritization approach, is a tool that helps teams decide what to tackle next in their product backlog.

Project prioritization matrix template